Processes for improving adhesion of films to semiconductor wafers and a semiconductor structure are provided. By implementing the processes of the invention, it is possible to significantly suppress defect creation, e.g., decrease particle generation, during wafer fabrication processes. More specifically, the processes described significantly reduce flaking of a TaN film from edges or extreme edges (bevel) of the wafer by effectively increasing the adhesion properties of the TaN film on the wafer. The method increasing a mol percent of nitride with respect to a total tantalum plus nitride to 25% or greater during a barrier layer fabrication process.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure comprising increasing a mol percent of nitride with respect to a total tantalum plus nitride to 25% or greater during a barrier layer fabrication process, wherein the mol percentage of the nitride is increased by introducing nitrogen as a heat transfer medium between a wafer and a chuck such that the nitrogen leaks from a back side of the wafer to a surface of the wafer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mol percentage of the nitride is increased to a range of about 25% to 90%.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the mol percentage of the nitride is increased to a range of about 30% to 35%.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the mol percentage of the nitride is increased by introducing nitrogen into a chamber prior to a Pressure Vapor Deposition (PVD) process.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein a ratio of nitrogen to argon during the PVD process is at a ratio of about 2.5:1 or greater.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the nitrogen is provided at a flow rate of between about 5 sccm to 300 sccm.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the nitrogen is provided at a flow rate of about 80 sccm.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mol percentage of the nitride is increased by providing a power to the chamber of between about 100 W to 2 KW.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mol percentage of the nitride is increased by providing a negative charge to a wafer during a PVD process.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the negative voltage is in a range of about −25V to −500V.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a flow rate of the nitrogen is between about 5 sccm to 100 sccm.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the flow rate of the nitrogen is about 20 sccm.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mol percentage of the nitride is increased by increasing a pressure of a chamber during a PVD process to about 20 mT.
14. A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure comprising adjusting a parameter in a chamber to increase a mol percent of nitride to 25% or greater with respect to a total tantalum plus nitride during a Pressure Vapor Deposition (PVD) process, wherein the adjusting includes introducing nitrogen as a heat transfer medium between a wafer and a chuck such that the nitrogen leaks from a back side of the wafer to a surface of the wafer.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the adjusting includes introducing nitrogen into the chamber prior to the PVD process.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the nitrogen is at a ratio with respect to argon of about 2.5:1 or greater.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the nitrogen is provided at a flow rate of about 5 sccm to 300 sccm.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the adjusting includes decreasing a power to the chamber to between about 100 W to 2 KW.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the adjusting includes increasing a pressure of a chamber during the PVD process to about 20 mT.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the mol percentage of nitride is increased to a range of about 30% to 35%.
21. The method of claim 14 , wherein the adjusting includes providing a negative voltage to a wafer.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the negative voltage is in a range of about −25V to −200V.
23. A method of depositing a barrier layer in a trough or via, comprising introducing nitrogen into a deposition chamber such that a resultant mol percentage of nitride with respect to tantalum plus nitride is about 25% to 90%, wherein the introducing nitrogen includes introducing nitrogen as a heat transfer medium between a wafer and a chuck such that the nitrogen leaks from a back side of the wafer to a surface of the wafer, wherein a flow rate of the nitrogen is between about 5 sccm to 100 sccm.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the introducing of nitrogen comprises at least one of: introducing nitrogen into the chamber prior to a PVD process, wherein a ratio of nitrogen to argon during the PVD process is at a ratio of greater than 2.5:1; providing a power to the chamber of between about 100 W to 2 KW; attenuating a voltage applied to the wafer to a range of about −25V to −200V; and increasing a pressure of the chamber during the PVD process to about 20 mT.
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February 22, 2008
March 3, 2015
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